Your Scholarship Application Guide

Do you want free money? Of course you do! So read this.

We've heard from students over and over again that they are interested in applying for scholarships, but don't know where to start. This is understandable - it can be confusing to know what to do and when, especially when juggling classes, a job, a home life and a social life. That is why we made this guide. It breaks down the process of applying for scholarships into small, achievable steps and tells you when you need to do each step.

First of all - what is a scholarship?

A scholarship is free aid given to a student to strengthen their ability to pay tuition and complete their educational goals. It is often based on academic merit, financial need, or other personal attributes.

Where do scholarships come from?

Scholarships come from donors. Donors come from different backgrounds, so they give money for different reasons. They are looking to help students just like you reach your academic goals. The stories below are examples that explain how donors typically choose their scholarship recipients.

donor

This donor is a successful engineer and received his Associate of Science at PCC. He wants to pay it forward to the next generation of engineering students, so he donates $1000 every year to help a student who, like him, has a big dream to be an engineer.

student

This student has come back to school and is studying electrical engineering. He doesn't have perfect grades, but he works hard, volunteers and does his best, which shows he has the persistence to complete the engineering degree.

donor

This donor started her education by taking ESOL classes at PCC, and now has her Masters in Education. She remembers the encouragement her teachers gave her, so now she encourages students by giving a scholarship to an ESOL student every year.

student

This student takes ESOL classes part-time and works full-time. The donor appreciates how challenging it can be to balance work and school. With the help of a scholarship, the student will be able to afford to take more classes.

Congratulations! You've just finished the first step in learning about scholarships! Go on to the next step to learn why you should apply...